9781936653027BorntobeWildArsuaga (22 page)

Why did he keep searching when there was nothing
worth feeding from?
Compulsive behavior or boredom?
Most likely the latter.
He snickered. “I’m tired of this place. Are they having any scenes tonight or
only private role-playing in the rooms? Otherwise I’d prefer to go somewhere
else.”

“Patience, my son.
The
show will start soon. In the meantime, have another drink and relax until Cat
and I return.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have a surprise to get this party started.” He
winked. “We’ll be back shortly.
Come
my dear.” He took
her hand and helped her stand. They walked across the room. Stefan watched them
disappear behind the stage draperies.

Stefan didn’t like the way Dragos made the
comment. He suspected the surprise had something to do with the Blue Blood.
Within a few minutes, his question was answered. The music died down, people
gathered around the stage, as Dragos stepped out from behind the drapes. After
a few words of introduction, he motioned to a few of his guards to bring the
vials of blue liquid to the patrons for a sample of the new designer drug. A
small drop, placed on the tongue, was all that was needed for the desired
effect.

Stefan watched as a line formed and one-by-one the
humans in the club stepped up on stage and opened their mouth to receive
Dragos’ offering. The ritual reminded Stefan of receiving communion. The only
thing missing was the small wafer. Was this Dragos’ sick way of snubbing his
nose at religion? The vampire was sick.
Yeah,
this has to end tonight!

After a few minutes of watching the ritual, a
sudden unfamiliar heaviness invaded the room diverting his attention from the
stage, his senses amped up. That normally only happened if another vampire
suddenly entered the room. Then he noticed the vampires who were already in the
club were also agitated. The humans high on the blue drug were the object of
their attention and his. This is what Dragos meant by getting the party
started. “The drug is an aphrodisiac to vampires. That’s why I feel this way?”
He needed to quench his bloodlust and sex thirst.

Stefan caught the eye of a young woman at the bar.
There was really nothing special about her. Strawberry blonde hair slipped past
her shoulders, pulled back from her face with a band and a flower sticking out
one side. It looked ridiculous. He couldn’t believe it was the style, but what
did he know about fashion. Thick, wire-rimmed glasses covered her light green
eyes, perched on a slightly turned up nose. Lush full lips resided underneath,
the color of dew-covered roses. He sat upright, his gaze wandered up and down
her body slowly. What was it about her that drew his lustful attention?

Ecaterina’s Romanian-lilted laughter broke through
his thoughts. “It looks like our boy Stefan has finally found something to
spark his appetite Dragos.”

“Screw you, Cat.” He watched the woman at the bar
with his predatory gaze. Her movements were nervous and awkward, like she
didn’t belong at the club, a first-timer? From the vibe she gave off, more than
likely, true. By her slumped, almost catatonic bearing, it appeared the drug
hit her hard.

“I told you I’d get the party started. Who’s the
lucky woman?” Dragos joined in, turning his glance to follow Stefan’s, his
annoying laughter mingling with Ecaterina’s. Stefan wanted to ignore their
comments, but wanted answers about the drug. The effect of the blue blood was
powerful. He didn’t like losing control like this. In his position, it could be
dangerous to his health and those he protected.

“She’s nothing to look at, but definitely primed
on the drug. You can smell it, taste it, can’t you?” Dragos asked as he turned
his attention back to Stefan.

“What the hell does this do to us? I feel aroused
without even touching her. What happens when I do?”

“Here, take a drop and find out for yourself.”
Dragos pushed the vial of Blue Blood in front of Stefan, grinning.

Stefan stared at the elixir and back at Dragos.
“No.”

“Oh baby, it won’t hurt you. We metabolize it
quick and we are left with an extended euphoric feeling we can’t get any other
way. It doesn’t hurt. See.” Dipping a pinky nail into the vial, she scooped out
a drop and sucked it into her mouth.
“Mmm.
Like I
said, it doesn’t hurt.”

He said nothing as he returned his attention to
the woman at the bar.

“I don’t think my boy needs any enhancement, my
dear. His attention is solely on that woman at the bar.”

“What is it with you and redheads Stefan? She
looks just like the fat bitch I took down in Virginia.”

Stefan wrinkled his brow. Ecaterina nailed it.
Now, he knew why he remained fixed on the intriguing young woman. Why there was
definitely something about her he couldn’t quite place.
She reminds me of Alexandra.

Closing his eyes, he touched her mind. He probed
into her innermost secrets in search of the key to her uneasiness and
awkwardness. From what he could see, she was a very shy, insecure woman,
especially about her looks and work. Every bit the same as Alexandra. What made
her feel this way? Probing deeper, he viewed her memories, feeling like a
voyeur doing so. Alexandra scolded him once or twice for reading her mind, this
young woman put up no defenses.

The woman’s name was
Becca
Woodson. She had a normal childhood, along with loving, caring parents who in
their eyes saw her as a beautiful child.
Hmm, nothing special there.
What else does this woman have to tell me?
Becca
didn’t see herself as even remotely pretty. Freckles, braces, coke-bottle
glasses, and always fighting her weight issues. Digging deeper, he saw she was
a hunter?

His eyes flew wide open as his chest tightened.
No, it couldn’t be possible. What were the odds?

Another woman who resembled his
prinţesa
sat at a bar before him,
identical circumstances when he met Alexandra. The chances of it happening were
beyond belief. This had to be a trick.

Ecaterina’s black brows knitted together upon
seeing his face. “What’s wrong, baby?”

Dragos jabbed him in the arm. “He’s got a case of
the I-need-to-get-laid from the Blue.”

“I don’t believe this shit. What does this drug do
to you? I’m seeing things from my past. What’s going on Dragos?” His fists
clenched.

Dragos laughed. “A side effect of the drug. The
humans are open vessels for our pleasure. They are anything you want them to be
in the heightened drug-induced state. What you find probing that woman’s mind
is what you want. Feels good doesn’t it. Imagine taking the drug with your
human prey. It’s mind-blowing.”

“I don’t fucking believe this.”

“Don’t believe what? That it’s impossible?”

Stefan swallowed the hard lump in his throat. “No,
it’s Alexandra.”

Chapter 20

His hands felt like coals on
her wrists as he guided her into the sex club. “Are you ready Aly?”

“Does a bear go in the woods?”

He took in a deep breath and she realized he was
just as nervous. “Let’s do this.” Johnson snapped the leash to the ring on the
collar.

Drawing closer to the entrance of
Euphoria
, anxiety worked its way through
her. Could she keep it together and not succumb like at the Virginia club?
Hell, yeah! Stefan isn’t here to make me wet
and hot.
She grinned inwardly.

“Is Palmer here for backup yet?” she whispered.

“Yes, and listening as well.” He glanced in the
area of the
nano
transmitter taped to an inner thigh
“I want these assholes. They’ve killed two girls on my watch.”

“Let’s get what we can, fast, and get out. I have
the creepy crawlies already.”

They signed in, paid the cover, and walked to the
changing room to store personal belongings. All she kept was her clutch with ID
and holy water. Standing outside the door in the hallway, she waited for
Johnson, killing time by reading the rules of the club on the dry erase board
in front of her. The music playing in the club had a cool vibe, definitely
Latin, with a South Beach rhythm. This club differed significantly from the
ones in Virginia, showing more class and nicer décor. Also they seemed to be
run more like a business. Obviously, this Dragomir dude was a savvy
entrepreneur as well as an evil maniacal killer.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around and found
Johnson behind her.

“Ready?” he asked.

“As I’ll ever be.”
She
blinked, wide-eyed, shell-shocked.
What
the hell am I doing?
Too late to back out now.
“By
the way Johnson, where’s the wire Chief said I was getting?”

He leaned in close. “It’s in your collar.”

Putting a hand around the collar, she felt
reassured. Raising her eyes to him, she winked, “Really?
Testing
1, 2, 3.
Palmer? You copy? You better be.”

Johnson laughed. “Aly, he’s listening.”

They stepped into the main room of the club.
“Bloody hell, Johnson.
This can’t be the same place. They
cleaned it up real fast I’d say.” The lighting and mood belied the somber
memories of Haley’s poor body lit by dingy sunlight.

“Yeah, I agree. What a difference a night makes,
huh? What do we do next?”

“Don’t smile. Be dominant, be in control, act
macho, and mingle as much as you can. We have to see if anyone is selling or
taking this drug, right? Then we’ve got them nailed to rights.” She leaned into
Johnson’s chest. “You hear that Palmer? You get your ass in here as soon as we
nail someone with the drug.”

Clearly, he was nervous and Alex brushing so close
to him in a revealing corset certainly didn’t help matters. Upon seeing the
look of surprise on his face, she realized her mistake. Maybe she should collar
and lead him around as the slave. It was too late to change roles.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.” Grinning at Johnson,
she winked.

Scanning the room, she froze recognizing Stefan
seated in the center row of booths. Time ceased as her heart leapt into her
throat. Her eyes couldn’t leave him. She flushed, red stained lips parted, her
breath hitched. The next instant, his eyes locked onto hers.
What the…Oh daddy, what is he doing here
now?
And with her?
The psycho bitch!

Abruptly pushing Ecaterina aside, he rose from the
booth. Alex watched him flex his hands. The expression on his face suggested he
wanted to devour her on the spot. In the air between them, the aroma of his
favorite orange blossom and coconuts hung thickly. Base animal arousal gripped
her.

As he drew near, his fingers curled into his
palms, clenched into fists at his sides. His eyes cut to Johnson and back to
her neck. Stefan must have thought she had betrayed him. Apprehensively placing
her hand to her throat, she considered ripping off the collar.

The expression of desire on Stefan’s face changed
to confusion. Silently he probed her mind demanding to know what she was doing
with that man next her
. Oh shit!
Chocolate cake, cheeseburgers, French fries, ice cream sundaes with whipped
cream, and it’s not working, is it Stefan? I know you’re reading me.

Johnson observed the silent interaction between
Alex and the vamp, “Aly are you all right. Who is this vamp?”

Blinking, she dropped her stare, breaking the
tense connection between them.

“Damn it! Alexandra, who is this? What are you
doing here with this man?” Stefan demanded. Vampire rage, restrained by the
barest of margins, dominated his voice.

Johnson stepped up, pushing his chest out,
deepening his voice, “I’m her master and who are you? You don’t talk to my
slave without permission.”

Stefan laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”

Her stomach dropped to her knees. Well, he likely
had his answer, didn’t he? The testosterone level in the room just went up a
hundred points.
Vamp Lover meets Special
Agent Man, Oh My God!

Stefan narrowed his eyes at Johnson and returned
his attention to her. “Alexandra, I won’t ask you again. Who is this man?” His
voice calmed to a velvety irresistible coldness.

She bit her bottom lip, hard. “Can we talk in
private?”

He nodded.

“Aly, I don’t think this is wise,” Johnson said.

“I’ll be fine. Find us a table and mingle. I’ll be
back in a few minutes.” Unclipping the leash, she handed it to Johnson. “Stay
out of trouble and order me a draft while you’re waiting.”

Johnson grumbled, skulking off.

“Aly? Is there something you’d like to explain?” Stefan
squeezed his large hand around her upper arm and ushered her out through the
changing room entrance.

“Hey you oversized muscleman, let me go. I can
walk on my own, you bastard. I’ll tell you everything if you stop manhandling
me. Where the hell are you taking me anyway?” She wrestled to break his grip.
They passed other club patrons in the hallway, each grinning and winking at
Stefan.

“I see you haven’t cleaned up that mouth of
yours.” Resting at a quiet, dark corner near the back entrance of the corner,
he pulled her close. His arms wrapped around her tightly. A hand reached up and
yanked on the collar around her neck. “What is the meaning of this?”

“I’m working.” She said defiantly. “Oh shit!”
Reaching up, she unfastened the collar and threw it down the hallway.

“That doesn’t change anything. Why are you here?”

“I told you, I’m working. By the way you’ve got
some nerve. Not a hello Alexandra, how ya been. Or, hell I’d settle for a drive
by tongue down my throat. Kiss now, ask questions later. A wet, hot sexy make
my pussy throb
kind of hello kiss
. But
nooo
, you have to
drag me off to some dark corner like a caveman…”

“Oh for the love of God, Alexandra...Shut up. You
talk too much,” he murmured. He cupped her face and his mouth captured hers.
His kiss was fiery, hungry, and brutal, as he branded her lips with his. She
thought hers might bruise, even bleed from the roughness. His mouth felt wet
and warm, his tongue wild in its exploring. Her body was on fire and in need of
his flesh against hers.

“Don’t tell me to…” she mumbled in his mouth.

“Shut up,” he repeated in a throaty whisper. His
hand slid around her neck and gripped her nape tight and hard. The other traced
his thumb along her jaw. A trail of goose bumps followed his touch, working all
through her body. Her head felt dizzy. Rage and want flooded her brain.

Breaking the kiss, he yanked her wrist hard,
forcing her to follow him into a private room. In one smooth movement he sat on
the nearby sofa and with a twist of his hand forced her face down across his
lap. One of his hands had both her wrists pinned behind her and held at her hip
to give him complete access to her ass. The crook of his knee pinned her legs,
he was too strong, and she couldn’t get loose.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m punishing you for cursing and wearing that
collar. You belong to me and no other.” His hand swatted an explosion of hard
stings through her pants to the flesh of her bottom. It stung with the classic
dichotomy of pain and arousing pleasure every participant in the pastime
understood and savored.

Then Alex remembered the reason she had come to
the place. “I’m working with the Feds you crazy vampire.
Stop
spanking me.
You better let me go or there’ll be five hundred Feds up
your ass. This isn’t funny.”

His eyes widened,
then
released her from his embrace, helping her to sit upright.

“Why are you working with the Feds? And is that
ineffectual man you’re with a Fed?”

“Johnson isn’t like that. He’s very good at what
he does. He’s a little nervous about being in a place like this. Working undercover
in a sex club isn’t an easy job.”

Stefan took a step back. “Johnson? Scott Johnson?”

“Yeah, how’d you know his first name?”

“Dragos Munteanu, the owner of SGM hired me.
Johnson is my assignment.”

“You’ve been hired to kill him, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t understand. I thought Emil Dragomir owned
SGM. Who is…Dragos…Dragomir? He changed his name. That’s why I couldn’t find
anything on him in the database. And the psycho bitch works for him, right?
Johnson is the Fed she wanted you to kill when you saw her in Virginia?”

“Yes, but there are other reasons I can’t get into
right now.”

“Oh, my god!
Johnson’s
out in the club with Ecaterina and he doesn’t know she’s there.”

Leaping from the sofa, she ran out of the room,
Stefan followed.

“Alexandra. You can’t go out there alone dressed
like that. You’ll draw unwanted attention. Let me get him.”

“You son-of-a-bitch, you don’t go near him.”

“Alexandra, please.”

Approaching the open area of the main club, she
slowed, searching the room for Johnson. Spotting him in the corner by the bar,
she casually approached so as not to draw attention.

“Aly,” Johnson called out, waving his hand.

Nodding her head, she acknowledged him. “We need
to get out of here now. Don’t ask questions. Let’s go.”

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“I said no questions. Please let’s go.”

“But, there’s something going on here. Take a look
around. From what I’ve been observing the humans are acting like they’re on
something and the vamps aren’t too far behind them. I think what we’re looking
for is here. Maybe we can stay longer.”

“No! We can’t, you’re in danger.”

“You mean from him.” Johnson motioned with his
head.

She turned to find Stefan standing directly behind
her. “Yes, from him. We’re leaving Stefan. Don’t make a scene.”

“I won’t. But I suggest you leave quickly before
Dragos or Ecaterina take an interest in you. I’d have no choice if that
happens.”

“Choice of what?
What is
he talking about Aly?” Johnson asked.

“You’ve been made. He’s been hired to kill you.
This isn’t the time or place to make a stand and fight. Now, will you go?”

“No, I can’t, there’s
evidence here of the Blue. Look at these people.” He pointed to people seated
at the bar, at an adjacent booth, and a table at the center of the room. “Do
you see them Aly? I may not know what a vampire bondage sex club is, but I’ve
seen addicts and these people are on drugs. My guess it’s the Blue.”

“You know about the Blue
Blood?” Stefan asked softly.

Alex looked up. “Yes.
It’s why we’re here.
To get evidence of its illegal
distribution.”

Johnson leaned in to
Alex. “Who is this guy? Don’t you think I should know since he’s supposed to
kill me?”

“He’s not going to kill
you. I won’t let him.” She looked sternly at Stefan.
“Right?
You stay away from him.”

Stefan outstretched his
hand to Johnson. “I’m Stefan Marin. I’ve been hired by Dragos Munteanu to kill
you. I will not harm you if you tell me everything you know about the drug, but
make it quick. Dragos and Ecaterina want you dead. If they find out you’re
here, I won’t be able to protect you.”

Johnson stared at the
tall vampire. “You’re Stefan.
The famous Stefan that you and
Aly, well, never mind.”

Stefan wrinkled his brow
and eyed Alex. “What have you told him about us
prinţesa
?”

“Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.”

“She hasn’t. Actually her
brother told me you had a blood exchange after Ecaterina
Tomescu’s
attack.”

“Johnson?”

“What? He did.”

Stefan laughed. “Why are
you embarrassed
prinţesa
? The
truth shouldn’t embarrass you. I’m okay with him knowing.”

“Are you still serious
about killing me?” Johnson asked.

“If you put that leash
back on her, I might be forced to drain your blood and then cut you up into a
thousand small pieces and feed you to the swamp alligators.”

Johnson turned a few
shades whiter.

“Don’t pay attention to
him Johnson. It’s his bad vamp humor. He said he won’t harm you. Believe it. As
angry as I am with him right now, I trust him and you can too.”

“Ha-ha, I guess. Are you
willing to help us?” Johnson asked. His eyes widened.

“Yes. I’m not interested
in letting this drug get on the street. I’ve been watching what it’s doing to
humans and vamps tonight, and I don’t like it. I want to stop Dragos and I have
a plan.”

“We need to get out of
here. I don’t want to run into that psycho vamp tonight. Where can we go?” she
asked.